Business Breakfast in Nicosia on the “New Era in Employment matters, developments and challenges

DESPO ANDREOU

ADVOCATE – DIRECTOR

Despo is a Director at PYRGOU VAKIS LLC, and one of the founding partners of the Firm. She has been a registered Lawyer with the Cyprus Bar Association since 1999. Despo holds a Law degree from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece.

As the head of the Litigation Department and Privacy Division, Despo leads a team of lawyers and administrative staff. Her practice focuses on advising clients in Civil and Commercial Litigation, Banking Law, Contract Law, Family Law, Employment Law, Personal Injury Claims, Insurance Law, and Human Rights. She also oversees the Litigation aspect of the Privacy Division.

Despo handles private client work, including drafting wills and administration of estate matters. Her extensive litigation experience spans local companies, individuals, and foreign corporations.

In addition to her legal practice, Despo is involved in Privacy and Data Protection assignments and regularly delivers seminars on Employment Law and GDPR compliance.

Despo has been recognized as a Recommended Lawyer by Legal 500 for several years.

NOTA PELEKANOU

Advocate – Director

Nota Pelekanou was recently appointed as a director of Pyrgou Vakis LLC. She specializes in Litigation and Dispute Resolution, with a particular focus on Banking, Land, and Administrative Law. Additionally, she possesses expertise in the Registration, Recognition, and Enforcement of foreign judgments and arbitral awards.

Her clientele primarily includes banks and debt management companies, where she has succeeded the issuance of numerous judgments and orders to the benefit of her clients. Nota Pelekanou is also sought after for her legal expertise in debt collection procedures, demonstrating her comprehensive understanding of the field.

Being a member of the Committee on International and European Law, as well as the Committee on Civil Procedures Rules and Reform of the Cyprus Bar Association, Nota Pelekanou is actively engaged in the legal community.

Trained by the Cyprus Commissioner on Children’s Rights in the legal representation of children in Court procedures. She is well-versed in the intricacies of this aspect of litigation.

DEMETRIS VAKIS

Advocate – Director

Demetris Vakis has been a member of the Cyprus Bar Association since 1989. Later in 2005 until 2009 he became a member of the Board, the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission and in 2009 until today he became a member of the Companies Committee of Council of the Cyprus Bar Association. He worked initially from 1988 until July 2014 as a Partner / Director at Christos Vakis & Co LLC providing services in Corporate and business law, arbitration, litigation related to judicial review of administrative actions, provision of advisory services on financial services, liquidations and receiverships and thereafter joined Pyrgou Vakis Law Firm in July 2014 until today as a Director, continuing to provide the aforesaid services.

Demetris earned his apolytirio at the Pancyprian Gymnasium in Cyprus in 1982 and in 1984 until 1988 he studied law and earned a Bachelor Degree in LLB Law at the Queen Mary College at the University of London. Demetris is fluent in Greek and English.

MARLEN VAKIS

ADVOCATE

Marlen Vakis has been a member of the Cyprus Bar Association since 2022.

She studied at the University of Bristol and then went on to complete her Legal Practice Course, with Master’s in Business, at the University of Law in London. She initially worked in the insolvency sector in London for three years.

Marlen then joined Pyrgou Vakis in 2021 and completed her traineeship to become a licensed lawyer in Cyprus.

Marlen’s areas of practice include corporate and commercial law, insolvency law and intellectual property.

MARIA MASTROGIANNOPOULOU

ADVOCATE

Maria graduated from Panteion University of Greece on 2010 with an Academic Degree in Public Administration and then went on to complete her LLB at the University of Nicosia.

She joined Pyrgou Vakis Law Firm in February 2012 as a Corporate Administrator and upon the completion of her law degree and traineeship, she is now a practising Lawyer since 2020.

Maria is a member of the Corporate team of the Firm. Her areas of expertise are Corporate and Commercial matters, Insolvency law, and Compliance and Regulatory issues. In addition to the above, Maria undertakes projects relating with the Firm’s compliance with ISO 9001:2008 and ISO 9001:2015 standards.

She is fluent in Greek and English language and maintains DELF A1 degree in French.

MARIA KYRIACOU

ADVOCATE

Maria Kyriakou is an expert in real estate legal services, having assisted several clients with projects related to the purchase and sale of residential properties as well as the management of real estate, including preparation of tenancy agreements. Maria also holds extensive experience in the preparation and organisation of immigration applications for company employees and their family members.

Maria’s experience in litigation gives her a broader view of real estate and contract law issues that arise in property cases. She has extensive knowledge in banking cases and related immovable property issues, as well as mortgages and Land Registry procedures. Her 18 years of litigation experience as a paralegal has contributed significantly to her professional handling of her cases.

GEORGIA PAPA

ADVOCATE – DIRECTOR

Georgia Papa serves as a Director at Pyrgou Vakis LLC, a distinguished law firm renowned for its expertise in mergers and acquisitions, corporate, and commercial law.

With a wealth of experience in the legal realm, Georgia Papa has consistently demonstrated a keen understanding of the intricacies of corporate and commercial transactions. Her dedication to providing top-tier legal counsel has contributed to the success of numerous clients in navigating the complexities of the business landscape.

Beyond her role as Director, Papa actively participates in events aimed at promoting Cyprus as a business center on the international stage. Her involvement underscores a commitment to fostering global partnerships and showcasing Cyprus as an attractive destination for businesses seeking strategic advantages.

Georgia Papa has an LLB from the University of Leicester, an LLM from King’s College London and is a holder of the Advanced Diploma in International Taxation. She is also a holder of the Cysec Advance certification. Georgia was admitted to the Cyprus Bar in 2011. She is also a member of the Tax Committee of the Cyprus Bar Association and a member of the board of the Cyprus – Turkmenistan Business Association, operating under the auspices of the Cyprus Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

ELENI PRODROMOU

ADVOCATE - MANAGER

Eleni A. Prodromou is a practicing lawyer in Cyprus since 2007.

She specializes in Litigation and Dispute Resolution, with a focus on Employment and Administrative Law.

She has dealt with and successfully litigated many cases, mainly in the areas of dismissal of employment, disciplinary procedures, discrimination, wage deductions, maternity and harassment.

She also advises large companies and organisations on day-to-day and on more specialised matters.

She has given a number of employment law seminars to companies and organisations.

She is a member of:

the Pancyprian Bar Association,
the Nicosia Bar Association,
the European Employment Lawyers Association,
the Complaints, Ethics and Human Resources Committee of the Nicosia Bar Association and
she is Vice-President of the Law Modernisation and Study of Bills and Public Law Committee of the Pancyprian Bar Association.

She joined Pyrgou Vakis in 2024.

MELINA PYRGOU

ADVOCATE - MANAGING DIRECTOR

Melina Pyrgou is the managing director of Pyrgou Vakis Law Firm and has over 30 years of experience serving internationalclientele. She was partner with Kinanis Pyrgou & Co initially and then in 2007 she joined PricewaterhouseCoopers as Director of Legal Services. In 2008 she established her own practice, Pyrgou Law firm. In 2014 Pyrgou Law Firm was renamed to Pyrgou Vakis Law Firm, after a partnership between Melina Pyrgou, Demetris Vakis (of Christos Vakis & Co a firm that had been established for over 50 years) and Despo Andreou.

She was listed in “Legal 500” EMEA 2021 and 2022 in the areas of Corporate and M&A.

Melina is an active citizen and has over the years served on a number of boards. These include acting as President of EuropeFides, a European association of accounting, audit tax and legal medium sized firms, serving on the boards of the Cyprus Investment Promotion Agency (November 2016), the Health Insurance organisation, the Cyprus Bar Association, the Legal Council and she was an appointed member of the Disciplinary Committee of the Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Cyprus (December 2016). She is one of the founders and directors of the non-profit organisation “Justice for All” providing free legal guidance and court representation to recipients of low income benefit.